Caster



No. 622,449. Patented Apr. 4, I899.

A. cousin.

EASTER.

(Application filed Oct. 1'7, 1898.)

(No Model.)

' UNITED STATES PATE T ALFRED COUSEN, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

cAsTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 622,449, dated April 4,1899.

Application filed October 17, 1898. Serial No. 693 ,729. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALFRED OOU SEN, a citi zen of the United States,residing at Detroit, in the county of Wayne and State of Michigan, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Casters, of which thefollowing is a specification, reference being had therein to theaccompanying drawings.

The object of the invention is to make a ball-caster that will freelyturn whether used on light or heavy furniture and which precludes allpossibility of scratching the iioor or injuring carpets.

To this end the invention consists in the construction, arrangement, andcombination of parts, all as more fully hereinafter described and shown.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation of my improved caster. Fig. 2is a horizontal section through the pivotal support of the ball. Fig. 3is a plan view of the equatorial section of the ball detached, and Fig.at is a plan view of one of the hemispherical end sections of the ball,looking at it from the inside.

A is the forked support of the ball, and B is a screw-stem or other stemby means of which the caster is secured to the furniture=leg, all in theordinary manner.

The ball consists of two hemispherical end sections 0 C and a centralequatorial section D. The end sections 0 O are provided with theinterior hubs E E, and the equatorial section is provided with acorresponding hub F.

These hubs are apertured to receive a pin G,

which pin extends through the hubs and is made fast in the hubs of theend sections preferably byforming shoulders H on the pins andcorresponding shoulders in the hubs and by rivet-heading the outer endsof the pins.

In the adjacent faces between the hubs of the sections of the ballball-races I are formed, in which suitable balls J to form ball-bearingsare inclosed.

0n diametrically opposite points of the equatorial section of the ballare formed the outward projecting trunnions K, having shoulders L, whichtrunnions are journaled in bushings M, secured in any suitable man.- nerin the ends of the forked support.

In practice the parts being arranged, as shown and described, the twosections 0 O are free to rotate on the axis of the pin G, while at thesame time the ball is free to retate upon the axis of the trunnions,which is at right angles thereto, thereby permitting a joint universalrotation of the hemispherical sections of the ball, sufficient clearancebeing made between the adjacent faces of the sections of the ball. Atthe same time the ball will present in whichever direction it may beturned a perfect spherical outline.

By reason of the antifriction devices the caster will turn as freelywith heavy furniture as with furniture of lighter description.

What I claim as my invention is-'= 1. A caster comprising aforkedsupport, a ball, composed of two hemispherical end sections and acentral equatorial section, each provided with an apertured hub in thecommon axis of the sections, a pin passing loosely through the hub ofthe central section and having its ends secured in the hubs of the endsections, ball-races formed in the adjacent faces of the hubs, balls insaid races and trunnions formed in the equatorial sections and journaledin hearings in the forked sup-'- port.

2. In a ball-caster, a ball composed of two hemispherical sectionsaxially united together and an equatorial section rotatorily securedbetween said hemispherical sections and forming therewith a completeball and ballbearings between adjacent faces ofsaid sections.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ALFRED COUSEN.

Witnesses:

GEORGE S. LovELAcE, HERMAN 0.{LANeE.

